Map - Cardoso Moreira (Cardoso Moreira)

Cardoso Moreira is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro. Its population was 12,821 (2020) and its area is 515 km².

In 1672, Franciscan friars founded their first indigenous settlement in Cachoeiro, on the right bank of the Muriaé River. The Puris Indians, remnants of the Goitacá, who had been pursued by the Portuguese, are believed to have escaped successive migrations across the Muriaé River and taken shelter in the mission of the Franciscan priests. The foundation of the village, however, turned out to be fruitless, as it came to be affected by an epidemic fever.

At another time, by the end of 1700, more than 20 engenhos had already been installed in Cachoeiras do Muriaé (name by which the current municipality of Cardoso Moreira was called at that time). These mills used to grind sugar cane, process sugar and aguardente. These farmers needed a way to transport their production. In this way, they organized themselves for the construction of a railroad branch to Carangola, Minas Gerais.

Commander José Cardoso Moreira, in addition to making large investments in his lands, also made, as was customary at the time, several contributions to benefit the locality, becoming a major railroad shareholder. Probably due to the volume of its investments, the local station ended up being named after him, and later, so did the municipality.